Understanding what's happening in Richmond is important for businesses of every size. We're sharing the Virginia Chamber of Commerce's latest Government Affairs Spotlight to help keep our members informed about legislative developments, advocacy efforts, and public policy issues impacting Virginia's business community.

New Laws in Effect on July 1

On July 1, several laws affecting Virginia employers will go into effect. These include:

• HB 636 / SB 215 – Wage/Salary Postings and History
• SB 170 – Non-Compete Enforceability
• SB 128 / HB 627 – Prohibiting Non-Competes for Healthcare Professionals
• SB 100 – Volunteer Emergency Response Employee Protections
• SB 637 – Employer Threshold for the Virginia Human Rights Act
• HB 176 / SB 149 – Employer Threshold for State-Facilitated IRA Savings Program
• HB 238 – Enforcement of Worker Misclassification and Wage Violations

For more information about these laws and what Virginia employers need to know, click here. We encourage members to consult with a qualified attorney about the specific impacts of these laws and others to best understand the implications for your business.

Notice of Intended Regulatory Action for Paid Family and Medical Leave

On June 15, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) posted a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA) in the Virginia Register of Regulations associated with the development of regulations for the paid family and medical leave insurance program required by Chapters 981 and 1093 of the 2026 Acts of Assembly. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce has provided a comment on the NOIRA, which can be found here. We encourage other chambe rs of commerce, business leaders, and other interested parties to use this comment as a basis for their own. The comment period will close on July 15, 2026.

Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amount Increase Effective July 1

Legislation increasing Virginia’s weekly unemployment benefit amount by $48 will go into effect on July 1, increasing the minimum weekly benefit amount to $160 and the maximum weekly benefit amount to $478. This increase follows legislation passed in 2025 which had raised the weekly benefit amount by $52. The fiscal impact statement associated with the legislation estimates that employers will pay $21.21 more on average per employee per year associated with the higher benefit amount.  Because unemployment insurance tax rates are determined based on experience-rating factors, employers with questions about how this change will affect their tax liability should contact the Virginia Employment Commission directly.